The Wandering Hippopotamus (Vulgivagus hippopotamus), or more commonly known as the Wandering Hippo the species that the Hippopotamus amphibious has evolved into after 250 millions years. The Latin term ‘Vulgivagus’ means ‘wandering’. This describes the migrating behaviour of the species. Most of the Hippopotamus amphibious’ appearance have remained the same. There are a few differences however, that were modified for the species to be better adapted to its environment. Changes include protruding tusks, improved eyesight and a overall smaller size. This report discusses the Wandering Hippo’s behavioural, structural and physiological adaptations as well as their habitat 250 million years in the future.
Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Choradate Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Hippootamidae Genus:Hippopotamus (genus) Species:Vulgivagus. H Labelled diagram of the Wandering Hippopotamus
Habitat The Wandering Hippopotamus has a very different distribution range compared to its ancestor, the hippopotamus. The Hippopotamus amphibious inhabited only the sub-Saharan region of Africa. However, the Wandering Hippopotamus is believed to have distributed in South America, North America, Eurasia and Africa similar to the Power Rabbit and New World Kookaburra. The Wandering Hippopotamus usually inhabits the mid areas of a continent as there are fewer mountains there (see Figure #3). In the figure below, the species would most likely inhabit most of the 'land' areas surrounded by the mountains.
The reason for a wide spread distribution is because the species lived 250 millon years in the future. It is predicted that the shifting of tectonic plates will change the entire geographic location of the continents. It is believed that due to drastic changes in the environment, the continents will cluster in a single landmass enclosing the Indo-Atlantic Ocean and joining the continents of South America, North America, Eurasia and Africa (see Figure#2). The figure below shows the continents the species inhabit. The Wandering Hippo most likely inhabited the middle parts of the continent or anywhere with rivers linking the continents together.
Though the geographical location of continents have changed, the Wandering Hippo still enjoys their aquatic habitat. The distribution of freshwater sources have also changed. Previous events of climate change have caused the area they inahabit to increase in temperature. This does not bring a significant effect directly to the Wandering Hippos as they were already adapted for a tropical environment. Their aquatic environments however, are sometimes at risk when it comes to rising temperatures. This has caused the Wandering Hippopotamus to adapt by migrating to different locations for both food and habitat.
The Wandering Hippo, like their ancestors the Hippopotamus amphibious and the anthracotherium, choose wet and swampy areas as their habitat. Due to the increasing temperature at that time, hippos have spent more time underwater than basking by the shoreline. They have also started spending more time in forest areas where they are protected from the sun by tall and shady trees and surrounded by a dense environment. The Wandering Hippo also choose to feed at night. However, they no longer graze solitary. This is because they now have to travel greater distances to find their source of food which is often scarce. Thus, traveling in groups made it better to protect themselves from the large amount of predators.
Structural Adaptation #1
One particular structural adaptation compared of the Wandering Hippo to the modern hippopotamus is that it has an improved eyesight. The modern hippopotamus has eyes suitable for an aquatic lifestyle though they have poor eyesight. They rely mostly on their ears for hearing and their mouth to detect sounds made underwater by other hippos. The Wandering Hippo has adapted a far better eyesight to fit their nocturnal lifestyle. They have bulging big eyes to gather more low light when it’s dark, enabling them with good night vision for when they are grazing. This helps the species as it gives them an advantage to find more food at night, as well as keeping watch of predators lurking by. The environmental pressure that may have caused a rise in this adaptation may be the decrease of sources of food. Perhaps the Wandering Hippo must travel even further distances to find grass thus needing to have a better surveillance of predators that they may approach. Now that the animal’s size is smaller, it may be harder for them to fight with other species. Better eyesight was the answer to the solution as it allowed them to steer clear of predators before they attack.
Structural Adaptation #2
Another structural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their tusks. The modern hippo also have tusks, however the hippo tusk have an increased size with part of it protruding beyond the mouth. The Wandering Hippo’s tusk serves as a weapon, helping the species as it enables them to attack predators when they feel threatened. The Wandering Hippo attacks its predators by holding a tight grip on its predator’s head or body, digging in its razor-sharp tusks into their flesh. Their tusks are so powerful they can rip off entire limbs. The environmental pressure that could have given rise to this adaptation could likely be related to the continental drift resulting in a singular landmass called ‘Pangaea Ultima’. This could have caused animals from different continents to be combined in a single large continent. When all these animals are combined, predators of the Wandering Hippo will naturally increase, thus making them in more danger than they were before. By having large protruding tusks, Wandering Hippos are able to fend for themselves and attack predators as well. Behavioural Adaptation #1 A behavioural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their migrating behaviour. This behaviour was also adapted by the Wandering Hippo’s fossil animal, the anthracotherium. However, the Wandering Hippo migrate to different water sources and grasslands on a more regular basis. It is this particular behaviour that gave the Wandering Hippo its name. This migration behaviour helps the species as it gives them sufficient food sources in multiple locations. The species eat comparably a lot more than the modern hippopotamus as they need the energy to much longer distances. After grazing at an area for a long time, soil begins to erode and certain grasses no longer grow. This forces the Wandering Hippo to leave their location and migrate elsewhere with more fertile soil. By migrating, the Wandering Hippo will give time for grass in their first location to grow while enjoying grass in another location. The environmental pressure that may have led to the rise of this adaptation may be geographical and environmental changes. The environment that the Wandering Hippos inhabit may be constantly changing, therefore forcing them to move to where it would suit them best at the time. Freshwater environments may be geographically distributed differently around the world therefore giving a variation of different climates/environments for the species to choose from.
Behavioural Adaptation #2 Another behavioural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their sociable behaviour towards its own species. Wandering Hippos lives amongst groups with no more than 20 individuals. Generally, the groups are smaller than their ancestor Hippopotamus amphibious’ groups of nearly 30 individuals in a pod. However, although the groups are smaller, the Wandering Hippos spend more of their time with their group. Wandering Hippos spent most of the day in the water, shore or forest. With the Hippopotamus amphibious, they only have a sociable behaviour with other hippos when they’re resting by the shore in the day, but not when they are grazing at night. Wandering Hippos on the other hand, choose to travel in their groups. This helps the animal by giving them more protection from other hippos. Also, bigger groups of animals are less likely to be attacked by predators as it is for one. The environmental pressure that may have contributed to give the rise of this adaptation could be the environment change and the shifting in tectonic plates. The Pangaea Ultima gave opportunity for animals from all continents to combine together into one. This created more dangers for the Wandering Hippo, especially if it was on it’s on. However, with their sociable behaviour of sticking with their group, the species is more likely to survive in the new continent.
Physiological Adaptation #1 A physiological adaptation of the Wandering Hippopotamus is their ability to slow down their heart rate once they enter the water. This is known as the dive reflex (ceteceans and seals has this too). The species does this when they go underwater. Heart rates can drop as much as 80 beats per second. Their ancestor Hippopotamus amphibious usually stays submerged for 6 to 7 minutes. Thought people have said an adult Hippopotamus amphibious could go without breathing to up to 30 minutes! The Wandering Hippopotamus can stay even longer. This adaptation helps the animal by allowing it to breathe underwater longer, therefore stay underwater longer. It gives them a longer time to keep their delicate skin in water aquatic environment protecting it from the sun. The environmental pressure that could have led to the rise of this adaptation could be the increase of UV rays the sun emits to the earth. Perhaps many parts of the ozone layer no longer exist in 25 million years to protect UV rays therefore making it dangerous for the Wandering Hippos to expose their skin out to the sun. With this adaptation, the species can stay protected from both the sun and predators for an increased amount of time. Bibliography
NASA. (2007). Astronomy Pictures of The Day. Retrieved on July 28th, 2010 from http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070922.html
The Wandering Hippopotamus (Vulgivagus hippopotamus), or more commonly known as the Wandering Hippo the species that the Hippopotamus amphibious has evolved into after 250 millions years. The Latin term ‘Vulgivagus’ means ‘wandering’. This describes the migrating behaviour of the species. Most of the Hippopotamus amphibious’ appearance have remained the same. There are a few differences however, that were modified for the species to be better adapted to its environment. Changes include protruding tusks, improved eyesight and a overall smaller size. This report discusses the Wandering Hippo’s behavioural, structural and physiological adaptations as well as their habitat 250 million years in the future.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Choradate
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Hippootamidae
Genus: Hippopotamus (genus)
Species: Vulgivagus. H
Labelled diagram of the Wandering Hippopotamus
Habitat
The Wandering Hippopotamus has a very different distribution range compared to its ancestor, the hippopotamus. The Hippopotamus amphibious inhabited only the sub-Saharan region of Africa. However, the Wandering Hippopotamus is believed to have distributed in South America, North America, Eurasia and Africa similar to the Power Rabbit and New World Kookaburra. The Wandering Hippopotamus usually inhabits the mid areas of a continent as there are fewer mountains there (see Figure #3). In the figure below, the species would most likely inhabit most of the 'land' areas surrounded by the mountains.
The reason for a wide spread distribution is because the species lived 250 millon years in the future. It is predicted that the shifting of tectonic plates will change the entire geographic location of the continents. It is believed that due to drastic changes in the environment, the continents will cluster in a single landmass enclosing the Indo-Atlantic Ocean and joining the continents of South America, North America, Eurasia and Africa (see Figure#2). The figure below shows the continents the species inhabit. The Wandering Hippo most likely inhabited the middle parts of the continent or anywhere with rivers linking the continents together.
Though the geographical location of continents have changed, the Wandering Hippo still enjoys their aquatic habitat. The distribution of freshwater sources have also changed. Previous events of climate change have caused the area they inahabit to increase in temperature. This does not bring a significant effect directly to the Wandering Hippos as they were already adapted for a tropical environment. Their aquatic environments however, are sometimes at risk when it comes to rising temperatures. This has caused the Wandering Hippopotamus to adapt by migrating to different locations for both food and habitat.
The Wandering Hippo, like their ancestors the Hippopotamus amphibious and the anthracotherium, choose wet and swampy areas as their habitat. Due to the increasing temperature at that time, hippos have spent more time underwater than basking by the shoreline. They have also started spending more time in forest areas where they are protected from the sun by tall and shady trees and surrounded by a dense environment. The Wandering Hippo also choose to feed at night. However, they no longer graze solitary. This is because they now have to travel greater distances to find their source of food which is often scarce. Thus, traveling in groups made it better to protect themselves from the large amount of predators.
Structural Adaptation #1
One particular structural adaptation compared of the Wandering Hippo to the modern hippopotamus is that it has an improved eyesight. The modern hippopotamus has eyes suitable for an aquatic lifestyle though they have poor eyesight. They rely mostly on their ears for hearing and their mouth to detect sounds made underwater by other hippos. The Wandering Hippo has adapted a far better eyesight to fit their nocturnal lifestyle. They have bulging big eyes to gather more low light when it’s dark, enabling them with good night vision for when they are grazing. This helps the species as it gives them an advantage to find more food at night, as well as keeping watch of predators lurking by. The environmental pressure that may have caused a rise in this adaptation may be the decrease of sources of food. Perhaps the Wandering Hippo must travel even further distances to find grass thus needing to have a better surveillance of predators that they may approach. Now that the animal’s size is smaller, it may be harder for them to fight with other species. Better eyesight was the answer to the solution as it allowed them to steer clear of predators before they attack.
Structural Adaptation #2
Another structural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their tusks. The modern hippo also have tusks, however the hippo tusk have an increased size with part of it protruding beyond the mouth. The Wandering Hippo’s tusk serves as a weapon, helping the species as it enables them to attack predators when they feel threatened. The Wandering Hippo attacks its predators by holding a tight grip on its predator’s head or body, digging in its razor-sharp tusks into their flesh. Their tusks are so powerful they can rip off entire limbs. The environmental pressure that could have given rise to this adaptation could likely be related to the continental drift resulting in a singular landmass called ‘Pangaea Ultima’. This could have caused animals from different continents to be combined in a single large continent. When all these animals are combined, predators of the Wandering Hippo will naturally increase, thus making them in more danger than they were before. By having large protruding tusks, Wandering Hippos are able to fend for themselves and attack predators as well.
Behavioural Adaptation #1
A behavioural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their migrating behaviour. This behaviour was also adapted by the Wandering Hippo’s fossil animal, the anthracotherium. However, the Wandering Hippo migrate to different water sources and grasslands on a more regular basis. It is this particular behaviour that gave the Wandering Hippo its name. This migration behaviour helps the species as it gives them sufficient food sources in multiple locations. The species eat comparably a lot more than the modern hippopotamus as they need the energy to much longer distances. After grazing at an area for a long time, soil begins to erode and certain grasses no longer grow. This forces the Wandering Hippo to leave their location and migrate elsewhere with more fertile soil. By migrating, the Wandering Hippo will give time for grass in their first location to grow while enjoying grass in another location. The environmental pressure that may have led to the rise of this adaptation may be geographical and environmental changes. The environment that the Wandering Hippos inhabit may be constantly changing, therefore forcing them to move to where it would suit them best at the time. Freshwater environments may be geographically distributed differently around the world therefore giving a variation of different climates/environments for the species to choose from.
Behavioural Adaptation #2
Another behavioural adaptation of the Wandering Hippo is their sociable behaviour towards its own species. Wandering Hippos lives amongst groups with no more than 20 individuals. Generally, the groups are smaller than their ancestor Hippopotamus amphibious’ groups of nearly 30 individuals in a pod. However, although the groups are smaller, the Wandering Hippos spend more of their time with their group. Wandering Hippos spent most of the day in the water, shore or forest. With the Hippopotamus amphibious, they only have a sociable behaviour with other hippos when they’re resting by the shore in the day, but not when they are grazing at night. Wandering Hippos on the other hand, choose to travel in their groups. This helps the animal by giving them more protection from other hippos. Also, bigger groups of animals are less likely to be attacked by predators as it is for one. The environmental pressure that may have contributed to give the rise of this adaptation could be the environment change and the shifting in tectonic plates. The Pangaea Ultima gave opportunity for animals from all continents to combine together into one. This created more dangers for the Wandering Hippo, especially if it was on it’s on. However, with their sociable behaviour of sticking with their group, the species is more likely to survive in the new continent.
Physiological Adaptation #1
A physiological adaptation of the Wandering Hippopotamus is their ability to slow down their heart rate once they enter the water. This is known as the dive reflex (ceteceans and seals has this too). The species does this when they go underwater. Heart rates can drop as much as 80 beats per second. Their ancestor Hippopotamus amphibious usually stays submerged for 6 to 7 minutes. Thought people have said an adult Hippopotamus amphibious could go without breathing to up to 30 minutes! The Wandering Hippopotamus can stay even longer. This adaptation helps the animal by allowing it to breathe underwater longer, therefore stay underwater longer. It gives them a longer time to keep their delicate skin in water aquatic environment protecting it from the sun. The environmental pressure that could have led to the rise of this adaptation could be the increase of UV rays the sun emits to the earth. Perhaps many parts of the ozone layer no longer exist in 25 million years to protect UV rays therefore making it dangerous for the Wandering Hippos to expose their skin out to the sun. With this adaptation, the species can stay protected from both the sun and predators for an increased amount of time.
Bibliography
NASA. (2007). Astronomy Pictures of The Day. Retrieved on July 28th, 2010 from http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070922.html
Scotese, C. (1999). Future Animation (Today-250 million years in future). Retrieved on July 28th, 2010 from http://www.scotese.com/futanima.htm
Suite 101. (2009). Hippo Versus Rhinos. Retrieved on July 28th, 2010 from http://mammals.suite101.com/article.cfm/hippos_versus_rhinos